Book Reviews: Conventional
Book Reviews (standard commentary/review of book) Knothole Book Reviews
(a "knothole review" is "not whole"-- the
concept is to give insights into an author's style, craft, and knowledge
through selected excerpts.)

This classic treatise about the art of writing offers insights for both
beginning writers and more seasoned ones.

Poetry - “Part Iis the poetry section, which includes many poems: there are examples
of metered and free verse, “beat” and surrealistic verse. Special attention
is given to racial and ethnic identity, viewed as a dynamic force in contemporary
literature. Additional subjects discussed are the sound of words, poetic
tension, and revising a poem.”

“There are occasions when a poem may shift from one mood or suggestion
to another in the course of revisions. There is no harm in this, but it
is important to make sure that each line and every image in the new version
really belongs there.“

“Six critical questions—First, are the images reflective?
In a difficult poem, isolated images may be all that reaches the reader
the first time through. These may be vivid visual details used for their
own sake, or they may be vehicles for metaphors; but the poet needs to
know what has really made an impression on his readers. . . . he will eventually
be able to judge for himself what is a fresh image and what is bland, flat,
or even hackneyed. Second, is the diction fresh? [The poet’s]
job is to identity not only cliches but familiar phrasing, echoes
from song lyrics, and conventional adjectives which provide no overtones.
Third,
are
there sound devices? . . . make use of such techniques as rhyme,
assonance, alliteration, consonance, and onomatopoeia.
Fourth,
does
the poem make use of rhythm? If the poem is metered, where does the
meter become monotonous and where, on the other hand, do the substitutions
become so numerous that the flow of reading is interrupted? If it is free
verse, what rhythmical systems is the poet using? Fifth, does
the poem contain some type of tension? It is rare that a poem achieves
any kind of literary sophistication without developing tension in contrasting
thematic concerns, tones, moods, and attitudes. Sixth, just what
is the essential unity in the poem? Unity may be achieved by a narrative
sequence, emotional responses, or a logical structure, and may be enhanced
by a persona or by the setting.

Fiction - “Part IIdiscusses the scope and sources of fiction. It contains three short
stories (“The Use of Force” by William Carlos Williams, “Friends from Philadelphia”
by John Updike, and “Sausage and Beer” by Stephen Minot) selected to illustrate
the use of first and third person, scene construction, characterization,
narrative tension, irony, premise fiction, dream fiction, and the like.”

“The Three Basic Options—consciously or unconsciously, every writer
has to make three basic decisions before he writes the first paragraph
of any story. First, through whose eyes am I going to present
this (the means of perception)? Second, which person shall
I use (first vs. third)? Finally, just whose story is this
(focus)? If a new story starts easily and develops rapidly, the writer
shouldn’t stop to consider how many decisions he has made without conscious
effort. But when it doesn’t seem quite right from the very start,
or when the first draft seems vaguely dissatisfying, it is often helpful
to review all the other ways the story could have been written.”

“Characterization is illusion based on three elements: consistency
of behavior and attitudes, complexity, and individuality;
techniques of developing these elements including direct analysis,
the use of significant action, dialogue, thoughts,
and physical details; blending these various techniques.”

Drama - “Part IIIincludes two complete plays (The Sandlot by Edward Albee and
Hello
Out There by William Saroyan). These serve to illustrate expressionistic
drama and traditional real realism.. Also analyzed are the theatre of the
absurd, the use of shock and violence, and mixed media. The writing of
dialogue, visual effects, the revision of a play all come under consideration.“

“Six basic characteristics of drama; like the other two genres, drama
has it’s own distinguishing characteristics.Each of them is a natural development
of the fact that the genre is a live performance. First, it is by
definition a dramatic art. That is, it generally has an emotional
impact or force. In case of comedy, we call it vitality. Second,
it is a visual art. . . . In most cases, the movement of characters
on the stage is as important as the lines themselves. Third, it
is an auditory art. Here, unlike in fiction, words are thought of
primarily as speech. . . .[some] use special effects like electronic
music, humming, or recorded chanting. Not only are sounds important, but
the space between lines can be important. Fourth, it is a physically
produced art.. . . . Sets have to be constructed with wood
and nails, and the script cannot ignore totally the task of the set
designer and the stage crew. Fifth, it is a continuous art.
The audience, unlike readers of fiction or poetry, must receive the
play at whatever pace the playwright sets. They cannot linger on a sage
observation or a moving episode. They cannot turn back a page or review
an earlier scene. Sixth, and closely connected is the fact that
drama is a spectator art. Audience reaction is important.”